Pile fabric manufacture



Nov. 15, 1938. A. J. SIGNOREI-IT 2,136,828

FILE FABRIC MANUFACTURE Filed Aug. 14, 1955 4 SheetsSheet 1 A. J. SIGNORET PILE FABRIC MANUFACTURE Nov. 15, 1938.

4 Sheets-Shet 2 Filed Aug. 14, 1955 ZNVENTOR,

lbw%nma ATTORNEY.

Nov. 15, 1938. A. J. SIGNORET FILE FABRIC MANUFACTURE Filed Aug. 14, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet I:

Albm JJ INVENTOR,

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Patented Nov. 15, 1938 UNITED STATES znaszs PATf EiLNTl l- IO mics l 2 13 8. PILE' FABRIC MANUFACTURE AlbertJohn Signoret, New York, N. Y .-,-,assignor,to I 1 American Safety Razor Corporation, Brooklyn, N. Y., a corporation of Virginiat ",1 i :1 7 Application August 14, 1935, Scrial=-No; 36,109- 5 1 Claims. (oi. 139-4 This invention relatesin general to the manufacture of pile fabricsfa nd in particular to a method of applying tufts to a pile fabric. Coordinately with such method it relates to mechanism for carrying out such method.

It is to be understood, however, that while it has been described in relation to pile fabrics, that as to certain phases thereof it may have other applications.

While the art of making pile fabrics is highly developed. and a great variety of suchfabrics have been developed very few of such machine" made pile fabrics are equal to hand made Oriental rugs in regard to wear and artistic qualities. Such machine made pile fabrics as meat all comparableto the Oriental hand made product are so high in cost, that there is little to choose between the purchase of the machine made product and the hand made oriental product. Thehigh cost of the product is due to the high cost of the machinery and the complicated processesused in the manufacture thereof.

One reason for the superiority of thehand made oriental rug is the use of short tufts to con stitute the pile and the manner of incorporating the tufts with'the foundation threads of the The tufts are held in place by forming the tuft threads into loops about the warp threads of the fabric. In the Turkish or Ghiordes style of knot two loops are used. The tuft'thread is laid transversely across two adjacent warp threads and looped around each one, and the two ends of the tuft pass outwardly between the two warp threads about which the tuft is looped.

In the Axminster type of carpet an approach to the oriental construction is made by the use of short tufts. These tufts, however, are not tied in any way, and the direction of thebody thereof, that is to say the portion connecting the two upstanding tufts is parallel to the warp threads instead of transverse thereto. holds thetuft threads in place is the pressure of the weft threads against the tuft threads that pass between them and the foundation.

I have found that the machines used in the Axminster carpet industry are capable by the use of my invention, of being readily modified so as to produce oriental rugs using the Turkish knot hereinabove described. However it will be understood that my invention may also be used in connection with other carpet weaving machines or in specially constructed machines.

The embodiments of my invention herein disclosed are particularly designed for use with Axrninster looms, and thereby this machinery may The only thing that be readily adopted, at relatively low cost, for weaving a machinemade'pile fabric that is at least equal toif not superior' to the hand made oriental product. 1 Y i It is the general objectof inyinvention to pro- 5 videa methodof weaving pile fabrics by which a knot of the; handmade Turkish type may be produced by machinerywand theprovision of mechanism"whereby= such method may be practied, and' further the provision of mechanism 10 whereby' Axminster andother pile fabric looms may be readily adapted for the production of Turkish type pile fabrics;

For attainment of 1 the aforementioned objects and such other objects as will hereinafter appear or be pointed out I have shown one manner of practicingmyinvention;and also several embodimnts =o'f mechanism for" carrying outthe practice of my'invention, in the drawings, in which:

Figures 1 to 6 inclusive showseveral successive steps in thepracti'ce of 'my invention of weaving pile fabrics; w i 1 "Figure 7 shows-the knotted tuft construction that may be obtained by the practice of my in ventionas disclosed in Figures *1 to 6 asan alter native to the construction shown in Figure 6;

Figure 8 is a dia'grammatic plan view of a knotted tuft-similar to that" shown in Figure 6, as it appears when appliedto a pile fabric;

Figure '9 is a diagrammatic plan view of a 30.

knotted tuft similar to that=shown in Figure 7 as itappears when applied to a pile fabric;

Figures l0'to 16 inclusive are diagrammatic showings of one embodiment of knot tying mechanism adapted forithepractice of my invention and. illustrate successive steps in the functioning thereof; i T

Figure l'l is'a side elevation of one practical embodiment of my invention, the View being taken inthe-direction of the arrows I! of Fig- 4 ur'e19; 1

Figure18 is an-elevational view of the device of Figure 17 viewed from the opposite side, the view being takenin' the'direction of the arrows N3 of Figure 19;-v r 1 Figure 19'is' aniend elevation viewed in the direction of the arrows IQ of Figure 17;

' Figure 20 isa side-elevation of a second practical embodiment of my invention;

, Figure 21 is an end elevation of the device of Figure 20;

Figure 22 is-anelevational view of the tufting mechanism of an Axminster loom with my invention applied thereto;

Figures 23, 25 and 27 are side elevational views of a further embodiment of my invention, showing consecutive positions in the operation thereof when used in conjunction with a tufting tube of an Axminster loom, and the various figures show several successive positions in the operation thereof; and

Figures 24, 26 and 28 are plan views corresponding respectively to Figures 23, 25 and2'l. I, I

With the aid of Figures 1 to 6 I; will now em deavor toexplain one method of practi'cingmy invention. In these figures, 30 and 32 denote two, adjacent warp threads, in cross-section, and 34' indicates a tuft thread that isito' luoped around these warp threads. 7 In Figure 1, which illustrates'fth e first step in my method, the tuft thread 34 is shown as its tip 36 introduced between the warp threads 30 and 32, the latter being in what may b'ertermedi their normal position, spaced from each other by. the distance A. The tip 36 moves in the'vertical line V--l.

In Figure 2', illustrating, the second step; the

warp thread 38 is shownas displaced toward-the warp thread 32 and the tip 36 of thetuf-t thread 34 is shown as about to moveupewardlyi on the outer side of thread; 30;: Movement of tip 33, either up or down is always along line V-l'. ,,j

In Figure 3 the warp-thread 30 is shown-as having returned to its normal. positionat a dis-' tance' A from warpthread 32,, and the tip 33 of the tuft thread 34 has beenbrought above the level of thread 30, while thebody of the tuft thread 34 is wrapped aroimdithread 30.: Thetip 36 has all this time remained in-the vertical lineV-l. 1

The next step; shown inrlFlgure 4, consists in moving the end 36 laterallyrmierthewarp thread 32 and down on the" outside thereof aiongwthe' vertical line V--2, so that the tuft thread-3t .now; lies across both warp threads. In Figure 5- thewarp thread 32 is shown as having moved outward, away from threads; while the tip 36- of the tuft "is commencing to move upward along the verticalline V--2.

The final knotting step is shown in Figure 6-. It will be seen that the warp: thread; 32 has returned to its normal position while: the tip 36' of the tuft thread which has moved upwardly along the vertical line V-2', has been brought completely around the warpthreaid: 32 and above the plane of the warp thread. A. length of tuft thread may now' be severed from the main body thereof so as to produce a: separate tuft. thread having two upstanding. tufts.

Figure 8 indicates diagrammatically: the resulting tuft construction in piece in a; pile fabric, and shows that it is identical with the hand made Ghiordes or Turkish knot. 3i and 32in this figure as before denote the warp threads, while a pair of weft threadsare: shown at 382 and 40-. 3k is the tuft thread shown as having two tufts": and M. It will be observed that the connecting portion of the tuft thread passes: above the tufts 42 and M and that therebythe tufts 42,414 tend to lie down and to bend in the same dire-ction.

It will. be understood that the. showing: of Figure 8 is by way of illustrationonlygand that I do not limit myself to the applicationzof my knotted tuft to the single shot pile fabric. there shown. On the contrary it is to be understood that any arrangement of warp and weft threads may be used, the only requirement being the availability of a pair of parallel threads to which the tuft thread may be applied.

From the foregoing discussion the characteristics of my method of applying the tufts will be apparent. Whereas in the hand method the warp threads were disturbed as little as possible, and the looping was effected by moving the tuft thread vertically and laterally as required, in my method the tuft thread tip is led upward or downward along a vertical line and has no lateral motion, while, on the other hand, the warp thread is displaced laterally and has no vertical motion.

It will be understood that the words vertical and vertically in the foregoing discussion, are

not intended to limit my method in that respect.

Theware used for convenience of description, and because that is a natural way of carrying out the method. However it is obvious that the method [might be carried out with the warp threads 30 "and 32' in a vertical, or any other position, and

with the tuftthreadtip 36 moved in a horizontal or anyother direction appropriately related to the directfonof the tuft threads.

.It willfurther be understood that the position of the-warp threads 30 and 32 will be appropriately controlled by the customary shedding operations as required, and no discussion of this phase is here attempted, because it is deemed unnecessary. 1

As to the tuft thread 34, it is understood that it will be drawn from a bobbin or other source, under tension, in the customary manner.

Instead of the knot just described it may be found ,desirable-to-use the alternative manner of performing the final step of Figure 6, shown in Figure 7. It will be observed that in this figure the end36a of the tuft thread 34a is carried in front of the portion of the tuft thread connecting the twoloops, instead of to the rear thereof as shown in Figure 6'. The result is a pair of projecting. tuft ends arranged in relation to the pile fabric as shown in Figure 9, in which 30a and 32a again indicate-a pair of adjacent warp threads, and 38a. and la a pair of weft threads.

In Figures 10 to 16' inclusive I have indicated diagrammatically a mechanism adapted for performing the steps of the process indicated in Figures 1 to 6 inclusive.

The device shown in these figures comprises a body member 5|] having two prongs or tines 52 and'tM projecting therefrom in substantially parallel relation. These tines are resilient and tend normally to move toward each other and to grip therebetween a guide piece 56 provided on opposite sides thereof with opposed projections 53 and 60. These projections are adapted to fit respectively into openings 62 and 64 in the tines 52 and 54 and are so formed in relation to the openings that when either projection is in engagement with its opening it will serve to prevent lateral displacement thereof. It is therefore possible to pass a thread between either tine and the guide piece 56 without displacing the guide piece laterally in relation to the other tine, since the effect of so inserting a thread will serve to press the guide piece against said other tine. While the-projections 58 and 60 prevent lateral displacement, tilting movement of the guide piece 56 relative to the tines is at all times possible, this tilting motion of course being accompanied by a corresponding yielding of the resilient tines, At its inner end the guide piece 56 is curved as shown. at 66, for a purpose to be explained hereinafter, and the lower end of projection 58 and the upper end of projection 60 are tapered off as shown at 68 and 10 respectively so as to afford a ramp-like construction serving as an approach to guide inserted threads from the surface of the guide piece to the raised portion of the projection. It will further be observed that the tine 52 is provided with a portion 12 curved outwardly from the guide piece 56, to serve as a guide to facilitate entry of threads between tine 52 and guide piece 56.

Having explained the structure, the functioning of the device of Figures 10.to 16 will now be explained. Numeral 14 is intended to indicate a i the direction of its length and with substantially 66 with the tines. its downward motion until the thread 14 clears no lateral motion. Any lateral motion that is required is imparted to the thread 14, this being one of the characteristics of the method herein disclosed, as heretofore mentioned. In all of these figures the thread '14 is assumed to remain in the same horizontal plane and the knotting. device to move vertically in relation thereto.

In Figure 10 the thread 14 is assumed to be in itsnormal position, that is, not displaced laterally, and the knotting device has been lowered so that the guide piece 56 contacts one side of the thread 14, which is about to enter the knotting device between the curved guide 12 of tine 52 and the guide piece 56.

In Figure 11 the knotting device has been lowered'farther so that the thread 14, which has not changed its position, has been forced into the 1 device so that it has begun to ride up the inclined portion 68 of the projection 58. In doing so it has spread the tines 52 and 54, and at the same time has forced the guide piece 56 against the tine 54.

In Figure 12 the knotting device has advanced still lower, so that the thread M has now completely passed the projection 58 and is about to tilt the guide piece 56 as the result of its passage between the tine 52 and'the portion 66 of the guide piece, It will be observed that up to this point the guide piece 56 has been held against the tine 54 without tilting thereof.

In Figure 13 the knotting device has advanced still lower and the thread 14, pressed against the curved portion 66 of the guide piece, has now begun to tilt the guide piece into the position shown in the figure, without however destroying the interlocking relation of the projections 58 and The knotting device continues the guide piece and thereafter it moves upward. If desired-the portion 66 may be made flexible and resilient, so that the amount of tilting of the guide piece may be reduced or even eliminated. The same result might be accomplished by having the portion 66 made as a separate piece resiliently hinged to the body of the guide piece 56.

Figure 14 shows the knotting device shortly after it has begun its upward movement. It will be observed that as soon as thread 14 clears the'curved portion 66 of the guide piece, the tines 52 and 54 snap into a position of close contact with the guide piece, and the curved portion 66 engages the tine 52 thereby barring entrance of the thread 14 into the channel from which it emerged and at the same time guiding it into a channel between the opposite side of the guide piece and the time 54. v

As the upward motion of the knotting device continues, the thread 14 is forced between the guide piece 56 and the tine 54, and the guide piece is pushed and held against the tine 52. The projection 58 interengaging with the opening 62 in the tine serves to hold the guide piece 56 against lateral disengagement from the knotting device. These positions are shown in Figure 15, in which the thread 14 is commencing to glide over the inclined surface ll) of the projection 66.

Finally in Figure 16 the thread 14 is shown as having passed the projection 60 and as about to leave the device. After it has done so, and when the knotting device is again located above the thread 14 it will be observed that relative positions of thread 16 and 14 are those illustrated in Figure 3. It will also be observed that lateral motion of the thread 14 (such as shown for the thread in Figure 2) has been effected by causing the thread I l first to move on one side of the guide means 56 during the downward movement ofthe latter, and to move on the opposite side of the guide piece during the upward movement 01' the latter. 7 l

During this latter movement the warp thread is therefore displaced from its normal position by a distance equal to the combined thickness of the guide piece and the thickness of the thread.

It will further be observed that while the tip of the tuft thread is in adjacency to the warp thread, which occurs when the warp thread is passing on one side or the other of the exposed end of guide piece 56, the said tip moves along a single vertical line, whether its motion be up or down. This is nevertheless true, even though the tuft thread tip, while the thread 14 is passing along the tines' 52 and 54 is caused to move laterally to some extent, due to the tilting of the guide piece 56 and the lateral displacement of the tines.

The operation just described covers the loop formation of Figures 1, 2 and 3. If now it is desired to carry out the remaining steps of my method, as shown in Figures 4, 5 and 6, all that is necessary is to move the knotting device laterally to such a point that when it moves downward the left hand side of the guide piece 56 engages the next adjacent warp thread on its right hand side as shown in Figure 4, that is on the same side that it engaged the thread 14, in the operation'just described. The same cycle is then gone through, the knotting device dipping and then rising without moving laterally and displacing the warp thread to the right (see Figure 5), and on the completion of its rising motion the knot of either Figure 6 or 7 will have been obtained. Which one of these results is obtained is determinedby the positionof the tufting thread 16 and motion of the knotting device in a direction lengthwise of the warp thread. The final step comprises cutting the tufting thread by any suitable or preferred means, so as to sever the knotted portion from the main body of the thread. i

It will of course be understood that the thickness of the thread 14 must be properly related to the various dimensions of the parts of the knotting device, so that the various parts remain in their proper relation. For instance with a thread that is too thick the tines may separate to such an extent that the guide piece 56 will drop or be forced out of its interlocking position with the tines.

One practical embodiment of my invention is shown in Figures 17, 18, and 19. Such practical embodiment is substantially identical in its main constructional features with the diagrammatic showing of Figures 10-16 inclusive and it will be observed that it comprises a holder portion Ill provided with two downwardly extending tines or prongs 80 and 82 and an inner guide member 84. The guide piece 84 is provided with projections 86 and 88' and these project into complementarily shaped openings provided in the tines. These projections are shaped soas to prevent turning of the piece 84 in the tines and by way of example, I have shown them as ovally contoured. It will be observed that each projection is relatively pointed at one end thereof and that the direction of pointing is upwards for one projection and downward for the other one. The outer surface of each projection is sloped toward the point thereof, and it is at this point that the thread first engages the projection. At its inner end the guide piece 84 is provided with a curved portion 89 corresponding to the portion 66 of the diagrammatic showing, and this portion may, also be made flexible. The outer exposed portion of the guide piece 84 is provided with a slot 90 terminating in a hole 9|, serving for the reception of the tuft thread, which is indicated at'92. It will be observed that the tines 86 and 88 are shown as slightly bowed outwards at the points BI and 83 respectively. I have found this construction advantageous in that it facilitates the passage of the thread, although it is not necessary to the proper functioning of the device.

A second practical embodiment of my invention is shown in Figures 20 and 21. Since this embodiment comprises only slight modifications of the form of Figures 17 to 19, corresponding parts have been denoted by the same numerals with the addition of the letter a, and it is unnecessary to describe them in detail,

The main points ofdifference between the two forms will now be briefly pointed out. The guide piece 84a is shown as provided with a thread recciving slot 90a that opens downwardly and as terminating in a hole 9Ia, whereby its action is symmetrical in relation to the direction in which it can pull the tuft thread, whereas in the form of Figures 17 to 19 the device would be adapted to pull the thread in one direction only. The projections 88a and 88a are shown as diamond shaped, and their surfaces are shown as tapering both upwardly and downwardly.

In the application of my knotting device to an Axminster loom, very little change is required in the loom, and such change is confined to the tufting mechanism and the mechanism determining its movements. An illustrative application isindicated in Figure 22, in which 94 denotes the standard tufting spool, moved in the customary way, and 96 indicates the tufting tubes carried by the tufting carriage or tube frame 91. Knotting devices K are shown on the tube frame, one device being positioned between each pair of tubes 96 and cooperating with one of these tubes, the tufting thread 98 of which is shown as having its end carried by the knotting device K. Warp threads WI, W2 are shown as ranged beneath the tufting mechanism, the lettering WI, W-2

being intended to indicate that these are arranged it is necessary to arrange the tube frame 91 so that it may move laterally for this purpose. and it will be understood that this tube frame is also arranged so that it may move vertically up and down, as is customary, except of course that the speed and range of this movement must be adapted for the purpose in view.

The arrangement just described has the disadvantage that the pitch of the tufts of the pile fabric is limited by the necessity of placing a knot tying device intermediate each pair of tubes, whereby the number of tufts that it is possible to apply is reduced approximately by one-half. An improvement that suggests itself is therefore that of placing thev knot tying device either in front or in back of the tubes, the latter being arranged in an unbroken row. However it will be obvious that the devices of Figures 1'7 to 19 and 20, and 21 cannot be used in thismanner and some modification is required.

A second disadvantage in the arrangement of Figure 22 is that one knot tying device is required for eachtufting tube of each row of tufting tubes, and therefore the total number of knot tying devices needed will be equal to the number of tufts occurring in each repeat design of the pile fabric. For example, if the width of the design requires 100 tubes and its length requires 80 rows of tubes the number of knotting devices required is 8000. If therefore only a single row of knotting devices could be used in conjunction with all of the rows of tubes their number could be greatly reduced. In the example given, the number of knotting de-* vices required would be reduced to the number of tubes in one row. namely, 100.

In Figures 23 to 28 inclusive I have shown the functioning of an arrangement whereby the aforementioned disadvantages may be overcome.

Figure 23 is a view looking toward the end of a row of tubes, the tube nearest the observer being denoted by I I0, and the tuft thread H2 is shown as passing therethrough. II4 denotes the warp thread. A knotting device denoted as a whole by L, is." shown to the right of the tube III], that is. in the machine it would be positioned in back of the tube. It is to be understood that a whole row of these knotting devices is arranged in back of the row of tubes H0, one knotting device being positioned to the rear of each tube. The knotting devices are mounted on a carrier H6 adapted to move them simultaneously.

Each knotting device comprises a forked element I I9 similar to that on the embodiments described hereinabove, and a central element I20 is carried between them and supported therein by projections I22, and this inner element functions in the manner already described in connection with the other embodiments. The point of departure from said other embodiments resides in the thread engaging member I24, which comprises a pair of opposed resilient members or jaws having their rear portions carried in fixed relation by the element I20, and adapted to have their forward portions separate for the purpose to be explained. 7

By referring to Figure 24, which is a plan view corresponding to Figure 23, it will be observed that the tubes III) have an oval or streamlined cross-section tapered off toward the rear, and it is obvious that if the thread engaging member I24 is'moved forward the tapered rear portion of the tubes III) will engage and cause the separation of the jaws I24.

This action is shown in Figure 25 in which the carrier II6 for the knotting device has moved '28. Thereafter the knottingoperatiommay be carried on in the manner explained'in; Figures 1 to 6 inclusive. This is followed bya thread severing or shearing operation which separates the tuft from the main bodyoftuft'thread and also from its connection with the-iiaWS -IZ fL "The small piece of thread that remainsin-the'jaws drops out on the next opening of the jawsa'sthey are moved to engage the tubes I l0.-*- i The row of tubes may now be movedfaw'ay and a fresh row substituted therefor without replacing the knotting device. A r r For effecting the desired movements {or the carriersfor the knotting mechanisms and 'the ca'r riers for the tubes, or tube frames, thesame may be actuated by combinationsof mechanical elements such as gears, camsj levers' -and' -"the like. Since the principles relating to theuse of these elements for attaining any desired mo tions are well known, I have ma'deno attempt to disclose any specific constructionformoving the-tube frames, as any such disclosure would not aid the understanding of my invention; but would only tend to obscure thesame. r

It will be understood that I have disclosed several ways of practicing my inventionand several embodiments of mechanism for carryingout the methods disclosed by me, and that I have made no attempt to disclose all'the various ways in which it might be practiced or allthe various forms in which it might be embodied; It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that my invention may be practiced inmany otherways and embodied in many other -for1ns. I'hedisl closure herein is not therefore to be construed ma limiting sense, but is illustrative merely,

and it is to be understood that I do not limit myself in respect thereto in any way other than as called for by the prior art. 1

Having thus described my invention and illustrated its use, what I claim asnew' and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:" -1. A knotting device for applying tuft'thread to a pile fabric comprising a forked'bodymem ber and a separate guide member havingthread engaging means at its outer free; end andfa thread guiding portion at its inner end positioned within said forked body member and carried thereby, and complementary means on said guide member and said body member adapted when interengaged to maintain said guide member in place within said body member and-yet when separated to permit the passage of a thread between said two members, and said complementary means constituting the sole means of support of said guide member.

2. In a knotting device for applying a tuft thread to a warp thread of a pile fabric, a body member having two parallel resilient tines, an elongated guide member having thread engaging means at its outer free end, and having its inner end deformed into a cammed guiding portion, positioned between said tines and carried there'- by, cooperating means on said guide member and said tines adapted .to effect engagement of said guide member and said body member at all times and yet to permit the passage of the thread between one of said tines and the guide member without disengagement of the guide member from the other tines, and said cooperating means constitutingthe sole means of support for said "guide memberfi r i a 3 Ina knotting device for tying tuft threads to the warp thread 'ofa pile fabric, a body member having two resilient tines projecting therefrom in closely spaced parallel relation, a narrow guidemember having a thread engaging slot 'at-it's outer-free end, and having a cammed guiding portion at its inner end, positioned between said tines, and cooperating means on said guidememberand each of said tines adapted to prevent disengagement of said guide member "from said bodymemberand yet to permit the guide member, i 4'. amusing device for applying tuft threads to the warp threadof pile fabrics, comprising a body member-hfving tworesilient tines projecting therefrom imparallel relation, a guide member-having thread carrying means at its outer free-end, and having its inner end deformed into a relatively resilient cammed guiding portion, positionedbetween said tines, a pair of projections oniopposite sides of said guide member, and

opening in "eachof saidtines adapted to receive oneof said projections andto prevent substantial displacement of said guide member in relation to said-tines, except such as is due to the inward and outward movement of said projections'in relation to said openings, and yet to permit the passage "of the thread between one of. said tines and the guide member.

*5. A'knottingdevice for applying tuft threads passage of the thread between said tines and the ber and a guide member having thread engagingqmeans at its outer freeend and a thread guiding portion at its inner end positioned within said forkedbodymemben-and means on said 'guide' member and body member adapted to maintain said guide member-within said body member and yet topermit the passage of a thread'between said two members, said thread engaging means comprising an opening in said guide membenand a slot leading from said opening'toanedge-of'the guide member.

-11 65A 'knotting device for applying tuft threads lto a pile fabric comprising a forked body memberrand a guide member having thread engaging means at its outer free end and a thread guiding portion atits inner end positioned within said forked body member, and means on said guide member and body member adapted to maintain said guide member within said body member andyet to permit the passage of a thread between said two members, said thread engaging! means comprising an opening in said guide member, anda slot leading from said opening to aside edge of the guide member.

7. Aknotting device for applying tuft threads to. a pile fabric comprising aforked body member and a guide member having thread engaging. means at :its outer free end and a thread guiding portionat its inner end positioned within said forked body member, and means on said guide 'member and body member adapted to maintain said guide member'within said body member'and .yet to permit the passage of a Jthreadybetween said two members, said thread engaging means comprising an opening in said "guide membenand a slot leading from said openguiding portion at its inner end positioned with.- in said forked body member, and means on said guide member and body member adapted to maintain said guide member witlnn said body member and yet to permit the v passage of a thread between said two members, said thread engaging means comprising a pair cfrresilient jaws adapted to grip a tufting thread themhetween.

9. For use with anAxminster ioom, la tutti-n8 mechanism comprising a tube frame having a row of tuft thread guiding tubes positioned transversely in relation to the warp threads of a fabric being made in the loom knotting devices fixedly mounted on said tube frame, and each tuft thread guiding tube havinga particular kmotting device positioned in operative relation thereto, mechanism for translations-Hy moving said M ting devices up and down and sideways in relation to the warp threads-and into and out of contact with said warp threadsandfor preventing rotation thereof, and each ofsaid betting devices including as tpart thereof meansmovably supported solely by the other parts of said knotting device and adapted to receive the end of the tuft thread and to wrapit around said warp threads as the knotting device moves up and down and sideways and into and'out of contact with said warp threads.

10. For use with an Axminster (loom, a tutti mechanism comprising a tube frame having a. row of tuft thread guiding tubes positionedthereon transversely in relation to the warp threads of a fabric being made in the loom, a betting device associated with each tuft thread guidinl tube and mounted on thetube frame, mechanism for translationally moving the of said knotting devices up and down and sideways in relation to the warp threads andjnboand old; of contact with said warp threads and dorpro venting rotation thereoLand each of said hotting devices including-gas part thereof meant-ovably supported solely by the other parts of said knotting device and adapted to receive the end of the tuft thread and to be moved by contact with a warp thread to wrap it=arcund said warp thread as the knottim device moves up and down and sideways and into and out of contact with said warp threads. l

11. A tufting mechanismfor Minster looms comprising a carrier movable 1111M to said loom, said carrier having a plurality of knot devices fixedly mounted thereon a member can rying a plurality of tuft thread adapted to be so positional that each one of said devices is brought into operative proximity to w. particular one of said lmotting devices, each of said knotting devices being provided with means to receive the end of the tuftthread and to draw said thread out of its associated tube, medianism for moving said member carrying said tuft thread guiding tubes into proximity with said knotting devices, vand mechanism for mom said carrier of said knotting -'devices while said tubes are in said position'in proximity to said knotting devices, so that the successive positions of said knotting devices are always parallel to each other and into and out of contact with said warp threads, first into a position so that each knotting device thereof is positioned above of a pair of warp threads, and then dipping it so that the end of the tuft thread is brought below said warp thread, and then raising it so that the device is brought above said warp thread, thereafter moving it laterally into a position above the other thread of said pair of warp threads, and repeating the dipping and raising of the knotting device in relation to said last mentioned warp thread, and no part of said knotting device receiving movement other than through said mechanism actuated member and. contact of said knotting device with said warp threads.

12. In a machine for weaving pile fabrics, a

tufting mechanism comprising a tube frame provided with a row of tuftin'g tubes, each serving to guide a tufting thread having its end projectin: therefrom, a knotting device carried by said machine in proximity to each of said tufting tubes and provided with means to draw the tufting thread therefrom and to loop it around the warp thread, means to hold said tufting tubes stationary during said looping operation and mechanism for moving each of said knotting devices translat'ionally as a unit and without rotational movement thereof .into and out of contact with said warp threads to effect the looping operation.

13. A tufting mechanism for use with Axminster looms, a carrier provided with a series of tuft thread guiding tubes mounted thereon and adapted to .be positioned over the warp of a fabric being manufactured, each tuft thread guiding tube having a unitary 'knotting device mounted on said carrier in proximity thereto and adapted to grip and to draw the tufting thread from its associated tube as it makes contact with the warp threads, and means for moving each of said knotting devices as a unit into and out of contact with said warp threads vertically and horizontally in relation to the warp threads and said means also preventing rotational movement of each knotting device.

14. A tufting mechanism for Axminster looms, comprising tube frame, a series of tuft thread guiding tubes mounted on said tube frame, each tuft thread guiding tube having a unitary knotting device associated therewith and being adapted to receive and. to draw the tufting thread from its associated tube and to tie it around a war!) thread, and mechanism for moving each of said knotting devices during the operation as a unit into and out of contact with said warp threads vertically and also horizontally in transverse relation to the warp threads, and for limiting movements of said knottin'g devices to translational movement.

15. (A unitary knotting device for applying tuft threads to a pile fabric comprising a body portion, and a tuft thread holding portion provided with means for grasping the tuft thread, and a by zpassable connection for maintaining said tuft thread holding portion on said body portion, said mounting permitting the passage of a thread of the fabric between said body portion and said tuft thread holding portion and through said connection without separating the tuft thread fho-ldinz portion from the body portion.

ALBERT JOHN SIGNORET. 

